Jack Dillard: Take the guesswork out of foliage

Jack Dillard

The Ark-La-Tex is in the early grasp of fall. It is a most enjoyable time of year and even better if your sports teams are winning.

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A number of homeowners are planting the ryegrass lawn to have a great lawn all winter. There is a special variety of ryegrass for turfs featuring a fine blade on the grass. If you want to mow through the winter, it is time to plant.

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Take guesswork out of the foliage you can expect from a new tree planting by watching the trees at the store while leaves are coloring this time of year. You will know what you are getting, whether the trees are container grown or in burlap.

It is best if you take trees or shrubs home in a covered vehicle. Many trees are ruined by wind damage on the trip to the planting site. We drive faster than we might think.

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For your information and to demonstrate the importance of research being practiced at Hill Farm Research Station at Homer, there will be a program Tuesday beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing with tours until 4 p.m. The excellent programs cover forestry, beef, poultry, pastures and overall farm management.

There are 65 years of timber management active at the station. And you can have a complete look at the beef cattle business. For more information, call (318) 927-9505.

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"God will test us, but God will not tempt us. God tests us to make us stand. Satan tempts us to make us fall." - Adrian Rogers

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Have you gotten your flu shot yet? No excuse, we owe our good health to those who care about us and those with whom we work. We've had our flu shots, and the needles are sharper and shorter. So get your flu shot.

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I seldom personally recommend anything. However, this is an exception.

Last spring, we planted two Bonnie Sweet banana hybrid peppers in a container. They started bearing about 70 days after planting. We have had four to six daily of the best-tasting peppers, and they are still producing. I eat them with everything except ice cream.

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This reminder is from the Natchitoches 4-H newsletter that Oct. 7-13 is National 4-H Club Week nationwide. If your local

4-H youths have something special this week, be sure to be a part of it.

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It is always good to see an established program or event. However, it is just as important to see a new educational and entertaining program begin.

Bodcau Soil & Water Conservation District and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will sponsor a pasture walk at 5 p.m. Oct. 23 at 5041 U.S. Highway 80 near Haughton. This is for all landowners, but especially farmers with 40 acres or less.

Learn about conservation practices, available technical assistance and cost-share programs available through the NRCS. A good idea, and you can have the full story by calling Amanda at (318) 965-2185, ext. 3.

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"Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity." - J.F. Byrnes

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The Louisiana State Fair runs Oct. 25-Nov. 11. The fair will be closed Monday and Tuesday of each week. We have a close feeling for the entire fair, especially the livestock shows.

Thanks to Peggy Swindle, we can share the livestock show entries and will break out the 4-H Club and Future Farmers of American exhibitors later. The entries include 820 head beef breeding; 80 market steers; 1,280 open show beef breeding; 540 goats; 240 lambs; 410 swine plus the rabbits, poultry and ag mechanics projects. At this time, 2012 entries are about the same as 2011.

The State Fair's junior livestock auction will be held Oct. 31 starting with breakfast at 9 a.m. The auction will get under way at 9:30 a.m. We will have more information as sale day arrives.

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Wonder why so many of us are fat? First, we don't exercise and the list goes on from there. Do you remember the hamburger patty presses where you formed the ground meat into burgers? Look at one and see how large and thick the burger is.

In the 1950s, the average hamburger patty weighed 3.9 ounces. Today, the average hamburger patty weighs 12 ounces. In the '50s, you were in "high cotton" if you had chips. And the average soda drink today is 40 ounces. I just wanted to keep you updated on important facts.